The People You Meet

The morning didn’t beg for anything out of the ordinary. We woke early to a quiet camp. Crystal Falls was only 4 miles away, so we didn’t burn any water for oatmeal. Just a cup of coffee and a cup of hot chocolate as we broke camp. We saddled up and peddled out of Bewabic Park towards town. We also needed to find a grocery store as our cupboard was bare. 

The traffic at the major intersection suggested a buzzing metropolis. We passed a food mart but a road sign said another mile to town. Must be more commerce ahead. Google took me to a couple restaurants downtown, but they were closed. I wasn’t looking forward to fighting the traffic in reverse so I found alternative routing through the neighborhoods. Next to the food mart was Fob’s Family Restaurant. Not a bad diner. The entrance sign warned of needed help and to be patient with the timeliness of service. The server was indeed busy, but very attentive and friendly. We hardly minded the added time. 

Next we walked next door to the market with a list of needs in hand. Limited on bars like Lara and Clif but we were directed to a Protein Cookie selection, bananas, trail mix and dried fruit. We forgot the jerky. And I look for some beet juice powder, but no joy. I guess the traffic was just passing through. We trekked back up and down through town again. And good thing or we may not have reached our climbing goal for the day. 

Another 15 miles and we found Sagola. The ACA maps indicted a full service town, but all we found was a BP service station. The attendant was very helpful, indicating there wasn’t much in terms of services until Escanaba, which is two days away for us. But she did say to stop at the Felch Community Center where she was pretty sure we could get some water. And there was the Solberg Bar and Grill further in town that did offer some food. 

Another 15 miles in the humidity. The weather app warned of extreme very hot temps reaching as high as…wait for it Boise…85 degrees. Yes that Fahrenheit. It’s sweltering here. 

The Felch community center is a going concern. Shaded picnic tables, groomed lawns for horse shoe tournaments, lighted baseball diamond, post office, book exchange and 4 generations of ladies serving up meals for those in need. They welcomed us in, provided us cold water, ice, left over family reunion cake from the weekend, power sockets to charge all our devices and over an hour of conversation. The matriarch of the clan couldn’t believe we were riding bikes across town, much less the country. As her great great granddaughter rolled her out she wanted to shake my hand. She was down right giddy. Later her daughter told us earlier her mom wanted to shake the hand of someone riding their bike so far. I don’t feel at all worthy of the adoration but I reckon I made her day, maybe the entire week and it’s only Monday. Paula the daughter gave us her phone number and said if we needed anything between here and Escanaba, call her and she’d come get us. That’s the second gal to offer such services. Sara was camped near by last night. She lives in ‘Lower’ Michigan (I’m catching on to the local lingo). She gave us her contact numbers in case we needed help once we cross and head south along the western shore of ‘lower’ Michigan. 

Back to Felch. Paula’s cousin and another gal were working the kitchen. They had all sorts of help to offer. Yes, Solbergs was open. The campground in Harwood, Stromberg Park, offering a hand pump water well and the water would be cold. The lake offers swimming , and is suggested due to the excessive heat (it’s 85 you know). Stop at the store in Hardwood and the gal there will tell you all you need to know. 8 no 9 miles. 

So we pedaled another 8 or 9 miles to Hardwood. Fortunately there is only one store to stop in. Immediately the owner/clerk gave Rhonda directions to the bathroom. We weren’t her first cyclist visitors. She gave us the whole scoop on the camp. Confirmed the hand pump water source, no showers, some sites had power and others not. The cell coverage here is not good, so we don’t need to charge our phones and that’s why you are reading this tomorrow. She mentioned her husband and daughters would be there swimming. 

Of course you need only mention swimming to Rhonda once. We found camp and soon we were wading into the water. Two girls said hi to Rhonda. In reply she asked if their mom worked at the store, and well, best friends. Their dad Chris, entered the conversation. He’s originally from the area, within 5 miles of the Felch Community Center. After away for college and a couple years he and his wife moved back. Last year they bought “the store” in Hardwood and now are enjoying life where community and family are priority. 

Camp is quiet. No one else in the non powered sites. Everyone has left the beach for home. Tomorrow we ride into Escanaba. 

We would never meet these folks or hear their stories while traveling in a car on major highways.